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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. J. WOOD; VENDING APPARATUS.

No.462,024. I I v Patented Oct. 27, 1891.

WITNESSES Z.- V INVENTUB'.

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(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 2.

P. J.- W001i VENDINGAlfRABATUS. No. 462,024. fPaiented-Oct. 2'7, 1891. w i

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F, J .-WOO D; VENDING APPARATUS.

Patented Oct. 27 1891.

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VENDING APPARATUS.

- Patented 001a.- 27, 1891;

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WITNESSES:

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NITED STATES PATENT (firmer);

FRANKLTX' .l. WOOD, ()F Nlfil AR-K NEXV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR (ll ONE-HALF 'lt') MILTON E. BLANCIIARD, OF SAME PLACE;

VENDlNG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,024, dated- Qctober 27, 1891. Application filed February 13, 1891. Serial No. 381,348. (No model.)

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a par-tot this specification.

My present inventionrelates to improvements in vending or ticket-selling machines, and; has for itsobj'ect to provide a means whereby one, two, or more packages or tickets may be automatically delivered from the machine after a coin of apredetermined denomination has beenproperly introduced into the proper coin-chute int-he machine; and

the inven'tionihas for afurther object to provide a vending machine with means for causing a coin which is of smaller size, and hence of less value, to be deposited into the moneyrecepta'cle without in the least interfering with the mechanism for releasing the deliverysheltmechanism.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will behereinafter more fully set fort-h, and finally embodied in the clauses oflhe claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying four sheets of drawings, in which similar reference-letters are employed to indicate corresponding parts in each of the sev-' I eral views.

On Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved vending-machine; Fig. 2 is a vertical section illustrating" the arrangement of several chutes, each for a coin of a different denomination, and also showing the arrangement of the coin-operated delivery-shelf-releasing meehanism. On Sheet2, Fig. 3 is a horizontalsection of the machine, clearly illustrating the arra 'igement of the improvements for operation the delivery-shelf. Fig. at is a vertical section taken on line a; in Fig. 3, clearly illustrating the arrangement and construction of the chute provided with a coin separator, whereby the coin of the proper size is directed into one passage and thereby releases the mechanism, while a coin of smaller size is caused to pass into a second passage an d enters the coin-reccptacle without operating the shelfreleasing mechanism. Figs. 5 and G are vertical sections of parts of the machine, taken on line 1 in Fig. 3, clearly illustrating the form of coin-operated releasing mechanism whichl contemplate usingin my present form of machine. 011 Sheet 3, Figs. 7 and 8 show. my coin-separating chute provided with a rotating coin-separator in which the coin of the smaller diameter is caused'to roll entirely between guides in said plate'withoutcausingthe same to rotate upon its pivotal pin, while a coin'of the proper diameter is arrested upon its edge and thereby tilts the Separator, the coin being caused to drop down into the desired passage and thereby operate the releasing mechanism. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the coin-separating plate.

On Sheet 4:, Fig. 10 is a horizontal section of a modified form of construction especially adapted for the sellingo'f lead-pencils or sticks of candy. Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken on line a in Fig. 10, looking in the directionof arrow 2". Figs. 12 and 13 are detail views of the package or ticket. holding tubes employed in the construction illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and t.

In the above-described views, A is the case, of any desirable size and construction, provided with a suitable glass or other door or doors a,which are hinged to the front of said casing with a suitable locking device and with a suitable, money or coin receiving drawer B, which is provided with a'rod 1), extending up into the upper part of the casing, being loosely arranged in staples b in the drawer and in the casing and provided with a finger-piece biwhereby when the doors a have been unlockeda nd opened said rod 11 can be raised and the money-drawer pulled out by means of its pull URI In this manner one lock and key serves to secure both the m oneydrawer and the doors a to the goods or tickets containing chamber a. This chamber is separated from' the lower part of the casing by a shelf a seen red to the sides of the eas- ICO ing, as will be seen from Fig. 2,said shelf extending back far enough so as to leave an open space a directly beneath thecoin-chute, as will be seen from Figs, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Upon this shelf a is arranged a tube-holding plate,

' 0, provided with perforations c,said.plate be:

. ing provided at its oppositeends with downwardly-projecting ways or guides 0 inwhich caused toslide beneath. said plate c-the delivery slide of shelf (I. Said slide or shelf to d, as Will be seen more especially fromjFigs.

2- and 3, is made up of several sliding sections d, d ,'and,d whereby by dropping a coin of a certain sizeand denomination into the proper chute and operating the proper .Is "lever one, two,-.or five packages or tickets can ;be deliverednpona shelf 0. through perfora-' tionor perforations of in the shelf a and presente'din front 'of'the casing to the person having operated the machine.

2o lVithi n the case A as "will be seen from Figs. 2 and13, I have placed three coin-chutes I 0, e and e in any suitable positions, chute e beingfor ten-cent pieces, chute e for fivecent pieces, and chute e? for twenty-five-cent pieces- Beneath each of said chutes is apivoted lever e arranged in journals 6 which are secured'in any convenient manner either to the bottom .of the-chute, or to the back of the case, or directly upon the shelf a the free ends 6 of each lever acting as a stop to a second set of levers or arms f, f", and'f pivoted upon the shelf ct or upon a board a on said shelf and being adapted to be operatedhy means of, push-arms f, and 1, which when any one of the levers e have become tilted'by- -the dropping of a coin in a chute causes the said armsfiffl'orf to swing upon their pivotal pins f and the endf of the arm operated to engage. with the back of the proper delivery-section in the slide or shelf (1, as will be evident from Fig.3."

The tube-holding plate 0, as has been stated in the above, is provided with the perforations c, and into these perforations, which are pro- 5 videdwith recesses 0 are setthe tubes g, which are of any desirable shape in cross-section, containing the packages or tickets to be .vended, said tubes being held-atthe top in from Figs. 2 and 4. v I will nowproceedto describe the operation of the device. Each tube g, as will be seen from Fig. l2-on Sheet 4,,is provided with two small holes g the tube being-left open in the I front,as shown. Into these holes g 'I insert the free ends of a smallpair' of spring-actu- 1 ated and pivoted arms h,4form'ing a', holdin g or supporting device in thebottoni of the tube,

as shown-in Fig.1 3. -I now fill the'tubc with the merchandise, such assguares of candy, chewing gum, or tickets, and when a tube-is placed in position on the recessc -inthe perforation c in'the-plate c1 press theeuds-of the arms it'- together' and remove the holder from the tube, which allows .the lower pack-.-

age or ticket to rest upon; a'raised portion a directly beneath the perforation or opening perforations in a cross-bar g', as will beseen c. lnth'is manner I place a tube in each perforation in the plate c.- Now; for instance,

a person desiring to buy one ticket or package drops a nickel or five cent piece into the slot E in the front of the 'case,which delivers the coin into chute e, where it is conducted down upon the coin-receiving lever at the bottom of the chute, which is tilted, as indicated in Fig. 6, being held in that position by spring-finger e, and the coin being retained upon the lever onits end e by resting'against the innersurface e of thechute. Thev push f can then be pushed in, causing the armf 8b to swing on its pivotal pin, whereby the chamfered end f of said arm forces the tilted coinlever upward, thereby lowering the end e7 still further and causing the coin to be deiposited into the receptacle B,'whi1e the opposite endof said armf is forced against a raised portion d on the end of-the section d in the slide, which is'thereby pushedoutward and forces-the lower package or. ticket directly out above the perforation or opening or. in the go shelf a upon the shelf 1%, as will be evident from Fig. 4. A spring 1', attached to the'back of said section, causes theshelf and the op- .erating mechanism to return totheir normal positions. w i

Aswi'll be noticed from Figs. 3iand 4, each a section is provided on its under side with chambered or recessed portion ditheback edge (i of which engages with the raised portion a in the shelf (1 which limits the forward movement of each delivery-section. v

Now whena ten-cent piece has been-d ropped into the slotE in thefront of thecasethe operation of thecoin-operated' releasing mech-' anisin is'similar to that justdescribed; and by pushing upon an arm'f" I operate the arm f the opposite end of which engages with a raised portion d? on the section (1 which causes said section to move outward, at the same time forcing sectiond' in the same direction by the action of the portion dhupoh' the portion or bar d in the section (1?, whereby-two packages or tickets aredelivered to the person operatingthe machine. The sections (1 and d and the mechanism are returned to their normal positions by the joint action of the springs 'i'and c". By the dropping of a quarter or a twenty-five-cent piece into the slot-E the arm f can be operated by means-of the push-arm f' in a likeman- .ner, an d its'slotted end f whichcan be'directly secured to the back endof the shelf (I, causes the three sections 02', d and d to 'be operated at one time, an ar'md on the section d? acting uponthe raisedportionor' bar d on- 12 5 section'di, and this in turnacting upon the bar d on section (1', which causes five packages or tickets to, be presented to the person operating the machin e.

' Ofcourse it will be evident that this ma chine can be used for making change also. In that case I place the packages or tickets 1n the tube directly above the sliding section 1 and till theo'th'er tubes with five-cent pieces. Now when a nickel has been dropped into the slot E, I receive a package or a ticket, as the case may be. If I drop aten-cent piece into slot E, I receive a ticket and one five-cent piece, and when I drop a quarter into slot 12 ,1 obtain onepaekage or ticket and four five-cent pieces.

Of course the manner of operating and the operation of the mechanism are the same in both cases.

Iwill now proceed to describe the operation of my coin-separating chute, which discriminates between one coin of the proper size and denomination and between smaller coins,which it will deposit into the money-receptacle without causing the machine to deliver a package or ticket.

As will be seen from Fig. 4, the coin-chuteas, for instance, chute e-may be formed with three passages e, 6 and e. The coin, of the proper denomination and size, which is to tilt the lever e at the bottom of the chute rolls down along the inclined passageway 6 until it strikes the projection e" in the top of said way, which causes the motion of the coin to be retarded and the coin throwndown into the opening 6 in the passage e and operate the lever. \Vhen a coin of smaller size is inserted into the slot, it will pass along the passage a and. meeting no ob struction, will be caused by its accelerative force to jump the opening 6 and land upon the surface. e, which is slightly lower than the uppersurface e", and the coin is'thus directed into the passage 25 anddrop's into the receptacle 13 Without operating the shelf-releasing mechanism. 1

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have illustrated my coinseparating chute provided with a rotating plate y,which separates the coins, being positive in its action; Said plateis made from sheet metal, as shown in Fig. 9,being formed with the guides j andj and perforated atj forpivotally securing said plate in the chute, being perfectly balanced, so thatit assumes the position shown in Fig. 7. A coin of the proper size dropped into the chute will strike theedges j and f of the guides j and j bearing upon thelipj. The coin overbalauces the said plate, which rotates on its pivotal hearing and causes the coin to be deposited into the opening e and into the proper passage e, where itwill operate the releasing-lever, as indicated in Fig. 8; but a coin of asmaller size can pass entirely between said guides 3' and without overbalancing the plate j, and the coin will be directed into the passage a without releasing the mechanism, as will be evident.

In Figs. 10 and 11 I have shown a modified form of constructionof a machine adapted for the vending of lead-pencils or sticks of candy. In this construction, in which the principle involved is ,the same as that described in connection with the other figures, I employ but one chute and one sliding section, which is provided with a longitudinal slot oropening c", and the slide (Z being formed with a corresponding opening (1", while in the shelf (t I-have arranged a similar opening a Otherwise the operation and construction of the machine is similar to that described hereinbefore. 1

Of course I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the use of the round holes shown in connection with Fig. 3, nor to the exact form of tube herein shown, and I may make such openings of any desirable shape or form, the tubes to correspond therewith in cross-section.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claimis- 1. In a vending-niacinne,the combination, with a delivery-shelf provided with one or more openings therein and a coin-chute provided with two passageways and a coin-separator within said chute, of alever adapted to be partially tilted by the weight of a coin, and means for tilting said lever still farther and depositing the coin and operating the delivery-shelf, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. ,In a vendirig-machine, the combination, with a delivery-shelf provided with one or more openings extending entirely through said shelf, and n goods-holding'tube above each opening. each tube beingremovablyarranged on a recess in each perforation, of a coiiroperated lm'lilllg or holding mechanism, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a vending-machine, the combination, with a delivery-slielf provided with one or more openings extending entirely through said shelf, and said shelf being made up of sliding sections,-of-coiiroperated looking or holding mechanism adapted to operate either one, two, or all of said sections, according 'to the denomination of the coin deposited, as and for the purposes set forth. 7 I p 4. The combination, with a delivery-shelf provided with one 'or more openings extend. ing entirely through said shelf, and said shelf being made up of sliding sections, of arms f, f and f, each acting-upon the back of a section, each arm being in locked engagement with a coin-controlled lever, and means for operating said arms when released by a coin,

and a coin-chute above each levenas andfor the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, with a delivery-shelf provided with one or more openings extend:

'ing entirely therethrough, and said shelf be- IIO ing made up of'sliding sections, of armsfgf I and f, each acting upon the back of a section and each arm being in locked engagementwith a coin-controlled lever arranged iii bearings beneath the opening of a coin-chute and each provided with a spring-finger to arrest the motion of the lever when a coin has dropped upon its end, but which allows the free end of the released arnr to be forced under the raised portion of'the tilted lever, and thereby tilt the lever still farther and operate the delive'ry-shelf,as and for the purposes se forth.

, 6. In a vending-machine, the combination, with a delivery-shelf provided with one or more openings extending entirely through saidshelf, and said shelf being made up of sliding sections, and a goods-holding tube above said opening, each tube being removably arranged on a recess in each perforation, of acoin-operated looking or holdingmechanism adapted to operate either one, two, or all of said sections, according to the denomination of the coin deposited, as and forthe purposes set forth. g

7. In a vending-machine, the combination, with theease and a fixed shelf a3, having openings therethrough, and a'goods-reoeiving shelf at, of a tnbe-holdiug plate also provided with a corresponding number of openings, and a slide between said shelf a and the'tube-h01d-'- iug plate, made up of sliding sections provided with openings extending eutirelyth rough the same, and acoin-operated releasing mechanism consisting, essentially, of arms. f, f and f, each acting upon the back of a section and each arm being in locked engagement with a; .coin-controlled lever, and means for operating said arms when released by a coin, and a coin=chute aboveeach lever, as and for the purpose setforth. 8. In a vending-machinathe combination, with the case and a fixed shelf a havingopem ings therethrough,-and a goods-receiviu g shelf a ,.of a tube-holding plate also provided with acorresponding number of openings, and a slide betweensaid shelf a and the tube-hold ingplate, made up ofsliding sections provided with openings extendingenti-rely through the same, and a coin-operated releasing mech' H anis n consisting, essentially, of arms f, f and f, each acting upon the back of a section and each arm being in locked engagement with a coin-controlled lever arranged in bearings: beneath the opening of a coin-chute and each provided with means to arrest the motion of tlie lever when a coin has dropped?- upon its end below the opening in the chute? but which allowsthe-free end of the released; armtobe forced'uuder the raised portionofi the tilted lever, and thereby tilt the lever stil l fa-rtheryand operate the delivery-slide, as and for the purposes set forth.

9. In combination with a goods-holding tube 9, a'fastener consisting of spring-actm at'ed'arms h,-adapted to be inserted in perforations in said tubeand act, as and for the purposes set forth. v r 19. In a vending-machine, the combination,

' with a-case, the coin-chute, and a fixed shelf a having an opening direct-1y. beneath-the- ..chute'and having one or more goods receiving openings in said shelf, and a shelf a, connected with said fixed shelf and extending on the outside of the case, of a holding-plate ar-' ranged above said shelf, provided with a corresponding number of openings and provided 6 5. .with downwardly-projecting guides secured to the fixed shelf-ct and the holding-plate, said delivery-slide being normally arranged back of said openings in the holding-plate, and one or more raised portions a in the shelf (1? directly beneathsaid openings in the holding-plate, upon which the lowermost article rests and is brushed therefrom by the movement of the delivery-slide onto the shelf" a, and mechanism for operating said slide, as and for the purposes set forth. 11. Ina vending-machine, the combination, withfa case, the coin-chute, ,and a fixed shelf a having an opening directly ,beneath the chute and having one or more goods-receiving openings in said'shelf, and alshelf a, con- 'neeted with saidfi'xed shelf and extending on the outside of the case, of a holding-plate .ar ranged above said shelf, provided with a cor- V responding number ofopenings and provided -with downwardly-projecting guides secured to the fixed shelf aF'and theholdinggplate, said delivering-slide being normally arranged. back of said openings in the holding-plate, and one or more raised portions (Him the shelf a directly beneath said openings'in the hold-. ing-plate, upon which the lowermost article rests and is brushed therefrom vby the move+ ment of the delivery-slide onto the shelf a, and mechanism for operating saidslide; consisting, essentially; of arms f, f and f 5 each acting upon the back of said slide and each arm being in locked engagement with a coin-controlled lever, and means for operating said arms when released ,hy'the coin, and a coin-chute above each lever, as and for the m purposes set forth. 1 12. In avending-uiachine,the combination, with a casing andan operating mechanismfa coin-chute with one entrance-passage and two coin-passages, as e and 9 extending x05 therefrom, and a projection e formed in the entrance-passage for retarding the coin of the properdenominat-ion and delivering said coin Q into the passage-waye", for the purposes set forth. 7 llO 13. In avending-machine, thecombination, v with a casing and an operating mechanism, a coin-ch me with one entrance-passage and two coin-passages, as e and e extending therefrom, a ro'ection 2- formed in the entrancei1 passage for retarding the coin of the, proper denomination and delivering said coin into the passageway e and a delivery-shelfcomprising therein a number of sliding sections adapted to be operated separatelyor together, I 20 according to the denomination of the coin deposited, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of February, 1891 FRANnLIn J. WooDJ Witnesses: j

FREDK. QFRAENTZEL, MILTON ELVIN BLANCHARD. 

